Attachment for carrying a trailer on a truck



W13 y I v28 L 42` \\f vAT'YIAGHMEIQT FOR rCARRYING ,A TRAILER oN A- TRUCK L Filed May 18, 1948 I'nvenforV CLARENCE L. WILLIS Attorneys Patented Aug. 8, 1950 vUNITED y STATE ATTACHMENT FOR CARRYING A TRAILER N A TRUCK' Clarence L. Willis, Mobile, Ala., assignorto Gulf Lumber Company, Inc., Mobile, Ala., a corporation of Alabama Application May 18, 1948, Serial No. 27,696 1 claim. (c1. 28o-33.02)

This invention relates to trailers, and-more particularly, to improved means for carrying a trailer on a truck or the like.

fAn important object of the invention consists in connecting to the rear end of a loggingtruck, spaced clamping means for supporting the axle of an empty trailer, so that the latter may be firmly and securely carried by the truck on the returnvtrip after unloading the logs or lumber. A further object is to provide a cradle attachment or assembly on the truck, which is simple, eliicient, safe and positive in operation. The attachment includes a pair of depending members or'brackets secured to the rear end of the truck and provided with outwardly extending parallel arms, the upper faces or sides of said arms being formed with transversely aligned bearing surfaces for receiving and supporting the axle of the trailer-to be carried by the truck. Connected to the arms `of the depending members are pivoted clamping members having curved bearing surfaces which coact with the bearing surfaces on said arms to engage and firmly maintain the axle of the trailer in a fixed position. Manually operable means are movably carried by the truck and are arranged to releasably engage the clamping members'when the latter are moved to their closed or operative position so as to insure the axle of the trailer being lockedV in position when the trailer is being `carried or hauled by the truck.

l Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claim and drawings. f

Referring to the drawings in which is shown a preferredembodiment the invention may assume: l

- Figure lis a side view of a logging truck showing in full lines the trailer carried by the rear end of the truck by the improved clamping cradle means, and in dotted lines shows the trailer connected to the truck in its log carrying position.. I y

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective. view of v'the rear end of the logging truck showing the cradle `assembly connected thereto and'with the clamping members in their open position.

Figure Sis a detail view of one ofthe clamping cradlemembers showing the parts in their closed or locked position.

Figure 4V `is a longitudinal sectional view of the rear end of the logging truck Ashowing the trailer being `carried by the truck and secured in position by the clamping cradle" means, and

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals'indicate like parts in the several views, I0 designates a conventional logging truck provided with the usual chassis frame II having spaced longitudinally extending side channel members I2. Mounted on the top of the side members I2 and suitably secured thereto, such as by welding or the like, are upwardly extending I-beams or members I3 preferably coextensive in length with the members I2. A bolster or fiat plate I4 extends transversely of the chassis frame II and is mounted in a xed position on the I-beams I3. Fixed centrally to the bolster I4 is a U-shaped member or clevis I5 having aligned openings I6 in the sides I'I thereof. Mounted on the bolster I 4 and in front of the member I5 is a bunk or steel beam I8.

A log trailer I9 is arranged to be towed by the truck I 0 for transporting the logs or lumber, and is preferably provided with a single axle on which is rotatably mounted four wheels 2I that'l correspond in number to the number of rear wheels 22 on the rear axle 23 of the truck VI Il. A transverse bunk 24 is carried by the trailer and is the same distance from the ground as the bunk I8 on the truck so as to provide a support for carrying the load of lumber. The trailer I9 has a reach pole or tongue 25, the outer end of which is provided with a transverse opening 25 arranged to register with the openings I 6 in the member I5 and be detachably secured thereto by a retaining pin 26 when the trailer is towed by the truck.

In order to save unnecessary wear on the tires 2| of the trailer after the load has been discharged, and also to eliminate the danger of the empty trailer turning over, which not infrequently occurs when towed by the truck due to the sudden application of the brakes, the rear end of the truck has connected thereto a cradle assembly for receiving and entirely supporting the empty trailer on the return trip after the logs have been unloaded or discharged. This cradle assembly preferably includes a pair of spaced depending members 2l which are welded or otherwise connected to the rear ends of the side members I2 and beams I3 as at 28 and may be reinforced by the angle bars 29, welded or otherwise secured to the members 21 and the ends of the side members I2 (Fig. 2). Each of the depending members 21 has extending outwardly therefrom, a supporting arm 30 having an upper curved face or side 3| to which is welded as at curved clamping members 34 which- Yare mov-ablyconnected at their inner ends to the arms 30 by the threaded bolts 35 and the nuts 36. Welded.

or otherwise secured to the clamping members 34 are curved bearing plates 3T, which whenthe axle of the trailer is mounted in the bearing plates 33 on the members'ZT, are .arranged to. be moved from their open pasi-tion,v as shown in Figure 2, to their closed or clamping position as shown in Figure 3, so as to overlap the trailer axle 20 and coact with the bearing members 33 to securely maintain the axle in a xed posi-V tion on the truck (Fig. e) The outer free ends of. clamping members. 3'4: are. formed. with laterally projecting. lugs or flanges 3.8 having slots 39.1 which assume averticall position (Fig. 3) when each of the clamping members; 34 is swung upwardly so as to. overlap the trailer axle carriged; byl the cradle members 275. Fixed U-shaped brackets: fill are welded or otherwise suitably secured to. the inner faces of the side membersv I2 andreceive the looped ends lll: of' threaded' rods 42 so as to be pivotally secured thereto by the boltsv @-3. Interio-rly threaded sleeves I4 are connected to the rodsZ and are provided at their outer ends' with. operating handles d5' soA as to. b e axially movable or adjustable on the rods 42'. When the parts` are in. their inoperative position, the rods l2 and sleeves M may he swung forwardly to assume the position as. shown in Figure4 2, and when the: clamping members 34: are swung upwardly'to their closed position (Fig. 3), the 'rods 42 andv sleeves-4d may be moved rearwardly to a substantially horizontal position, so that each rod will extend through a slot. 39 that. is now in its vertical position, and be firmly clamped thereto by manually turning the sleeve M seth-at the inner end thereof will be brought' into tight frictiona-l engagement as at 46, with the -adjacentside oi the lug` 38.

In operation, assuming that the logs have been unloaded from the combination truck and trailer assemblyr before releasing the trailer IS from the4 truck, hinged clamping members. 34 are re. leased: fromI locking engagement with the sleeves. All-so that they will swing downward-ly and-as.- su-me the vposition as shownin Figure2, The driven then backs the trailer I9-v up onspaced: blocks 1r-ramps,` not shown, so as to raise the Wheels' ofv the trailer about I2` inches ol the ground.' The trailer is then uncoupledv from the truckby removing the retaining pin 26 and the rea-chl' pole 25 elevated. rlhe trucl; is then backed up to the trailer axle 29 so thatl the axle is` po-Y sitiened directly above and close to the bearing pla "s 3-3\on the cradle members 2T. The hinged clamping' members 35 are now raised toY their closed position. (Fig, 4), so that the bearing plates Si'ifwillt overlap. and engage the trailer axle 20 atA tlie'same.4 timethe slots 39 are moved. to .their vertical.` position. to receive the threaded rods. 42 vill-rich.` are swung downwardly sothatv upon rotat- .thef sleeve All, the inner endof the latter will be brought into firm lockingengagement as atf with the lugs 38 adjacent. the slots 39.v .tov

maintain the clamping members 34 in a xed or locked position relative to the trailer axle 20.

When the truck reaches its loading destination, the trailer is again wheeled up on a set of blocks or ramps, not shown, and the sleeves or hand screws 44 are loosened so that the hinged clamping members 34 may drop-x to.- their open position. AA chock, not shown, maythen be placed under the wheels 2l of the trailer and the truck moved forward until the opening 25 in the reach pole. 25, registers withthe openings I6 in the clevis v vides simple, ecient, safe and positive means for supporting and carrying the empty trailer I9, after the.: loadfhasj been discharged, so that the return; or re-loading trip may-be madein safety and without unnecessary wear-on the trailer tires: 2|', andthat the reach pole.y 25 in its. inclined positionrmly rests.; on the bunkv I8 of the truck. While the threaded rods. 42 and their' associated. partsv are shown secured tothe inside of the chassis frame, it will be manifest that these parts'may be connected to the outside of` the chassis iframe- II". Moreover," the clamping cradle assembly while shown associated` with asingle a'xle trailer;y may be withequal eiciency used with a double axle trailer to haul the -same.

`lt will'. be understood. that the form. of the invention. Vshown and described is merely illus-` trativeof `a preferred embodiment and. that suchlv chan-ges may be made as. fall within the pure. viewof `une skilled i-n the art. without departing, from. the scopeV of the; followingV claim.

I claim;

In combination. withza. logging tru'clqa trailer arranged. to: be. carried by' said truckg. said' truck having at its rear/end transversely spaced de pending. cradle. membersfprovided with. .outwardly extending parallel armsgsaid'arm's having` aligned'.v curved bean'ingzsnnfaces for receiving' and supportingv the axle' of the: trailer, a clamping mem.'

ber. pivotally connected atione end to an arm oi the.. cradle member, the opposite zendsp the clamping memherzhavifng'a slot` arranged'to as'- surne .a verticali position when the clamping member is.l movedA tn engage. the axle of the` tra-iler*r threadedfrods" pivotaily connected at one end; to` said truck adjacentythe. cradle" meriibers,` eaclr or said rods. beingwarranged to extend; through. a

slot fa clamping member-:When the Jslot is moved to its vertical position, and a manually@ operable' sleeve threaded'- toi sad rod andi arranged tov engage.- the. clamping memberto re.-`

lease-bly maintain the samel in overlapping.' en gagement with the axle of the trailer when the latter iszcarried by the truck.; CLARENCE L. WILLIS;l

REFERENCES errno The "fo-llovfing'f references' are' 'ofI 'recordy in' the' le of`this' patent.iA Y' .1

. j UNITED STATES. EAT-.Enns Number 

